Fudgy Fatality: A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 10 by Kathleen Suzette (good books for high schoolers .txt) 📗

“No problem. Tell your mom I said hello. I’ve got to stop in there and get some fudge soon. It isn’t the Halloween season without fudge.”

I chuckled. “You can say that again. Thanks for your help.”

The trip to the flower shop was disappointing. I headed back to the candy store to see how things were going there. The day had turned warmer than I had anticipated, and I looked up at the blue sky and smiled. It was a beautiful day.

When I stepped into the candy store, I was surprised to see it empty of customers. I looked up at Christy and wondered if I should tell her what John had told me. I didn’t know why she hadn’t told me the truth, and I hated to put her on the spot. I didn’t want to embarrass her. My other option was to talk to Ethan about it, but I felt like that would be ratting out my sister. How could I do that? I just hoped she didn’t know something about the crime that she hadn’t told Ethan.

“Where are all the customers?” I asked. She was leaning on the counter looking tired.

She shrugged. “I have no idea. It’s been a little slow this afternoon. I’m fine with it though, we can catch up on all the work we’ve gotten behind on.”

“A lot of Internet orders?” I asked her.

She nodded. “Tons. Whose big idea was it to start selling online?”

I chuckled. “I think that might have been mine. But don’t blame me, those Internet orders are keeping us in jobs.”

“Okay, okay. I won’t complain about it then.”

I headed back to the kitchen where Mom was standing over the hot stove stirring something in a saucepan. “How are things going this afternoon?”

She looked up at me and smiled, shaking her head. “Crazy. I almost feel like we need to upgrade some of our equipment. What we’ve got is fine for smaller batches, but we need something to help streamline the process of making larger batches of candy.”

“We probably should look at doing something like that. I was also thinking we might hire a company to come in here and help us redesign the kitchen and storage area. We have such limited space and I’m wondering if someone with a fresh eye might see better solutions to the space issue. I know the internet orders are only going to increase and we need to be ready for that.”

She nodded. “It doesn’t hurt to have someone come and take a look. I’m not ready to consider moving the shop, but we have to do something to streamline our processes. I read that in a business article. Aren’t you proud of me for reading about things to do to improve our business?”

I looked at her, one eyebrow lifted. “I don’t want to move the candy store. I mean, Grandma and Grandpa started the business in this location, and I can’t imagine moving.”

“I agree. There has to be a way to make better use of the space.” She shrugged and turned the burner off beneath the saucepan. “I’m making orange filled truffles. I haven’t made them for a while. I’m also thinking about making some maple ones. The new fudge flavors have given me all sorts of ideas.”

“I love maple. Truffles are a great idea. The customers will love them.”

She nodded. “I had an idea for making some fudge-filled pumpkins, too. I can make the outer pumpkin shell out of orange colored white chocolate and fill the insides with a soft fudgy filling.”

“Now you’re talking,” I said. “I will be happy to be your taste tester.”

She chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Christy came in from the front of the store. “What can I help you with back here, Mom?”

“I need some more fudge made, please. Chocolate with walnuts.”

She nodded and headed over to the storage room. “Chocolate fudge with walnuts coming right up.”

I picked up an order from the printer. “We’re going to need more maple nut fudge, too. Lots of maple nut fudge.”

Mom laughed. “And why doesn’t that surprise me? The maple nut fudge was a great idea.”

I watched Christy as she returned from the storeroom with sugar and walnuts. She set them down on the counter and then went to the refrigerator and got the cream and butter out.

I couldn’t imagine her lying about anything and I decided I would just have to give her the benefit of the doubt. She was my sister after all, and I knew her better than almost anyone else I knew. But I decided I would talk to Ethan about it. Ethan would have more insight into it than I did and maybe he had already talked to Christy and I should just let things go.

Chapter Eighteen

“Hey,” Christy said when I opened the door. She was standing on my front step with a casserole dish in her hands.

“Hey, Christy,” I said. “What’s up?”

I stepped back to let her inside.

“I was fooling around in the kitchen, and I made you a chicken taco casserole."

“Really?” I said brightening. “That sounds awesome, and it smells really good, too.” The scent of the casserole filled the living room and my stomach growled.

“I made one for Mom and Dad, so I thought I’d make one for you while I was at it.” She headed to the kitchen with the casserole dish and I followed along behind her. Boo caught the scent of the casserole and got out of his bed to see what we had, stretching his long black legs before following us into the kitchen.

“That’s really sweet of you to make me a casserole. Saves me having to make something for dinner, thanks,” I said. She set the dish on the counter and I lifted the lid. Inside there was chicken in a cheesy sauce